VFW Post 1914 beat visiting St. Clair 3-2 last Wednesday. It was a game the St. James team came close to giving away.

St. James got solo runs in the first, second and sixth to build a 3-0 lead. However, VFW almost gave the game away when St. Clair got two in the top of the seventh.

St. James scored in the first when Ryan Witcraft stole second and Branson Peterson singled him in.

VFW loaded the bases in the second, but picked up only one additional run when Ryan Witcraft drove a run in when he hit into a fielder's choice.

Meanwhile 1914 pitchers David Bradley and Tyler Witcraft combined to toss a one hitter. Bradley got the win going five innings while striking out five. Tyler Witcraft pitched the last two innings with a strong performance to get the save. He also struck out five and St. Clair batters were having a very hard time catching up with his fastball.

St. James picked up an insurance run in the sixth when Austin Heffele walked, advanced to second when Dylan Wolle singled and scored on a Tyler Witcraft single to left.

That 'insurance run' proved absolutely necessary to win the game. During the game Coach Steve Witcraft told me that the team wasn't hitting too well, but that the team defense was solid.

Of course that's when the defensive roof caved in as 1914 had three errors in the top of the seventh inning that gave St. Clair two unearned runs.

Pitcher Tyler Witcraft ended the threat by striking out a St. Clair batter for the last out with the tying run in scoring position at second base.

Dylan Wolle pitched the first five innings to get the win. Branson Petersen pitched the last two innings to earn the save.

Coach Witcraft said the team returned to playing good defense against Mapleton, "We played very well defensively with four or five great plays behind our pitchers."

Post 1914 also benefited from some clutch hitting. In the first inning with two out and runners on second and third and with two strikes against him, Josh Stordalen came up with a single to score both runners.

Mapleton tied it in the second. In the 4th we loaded the bases with no one out and scored two runs on two fielder's choices.

In the seventh St. James VFW turned a double play to hurt their chances at having a rally.

Page 2 of 2 - Offensively Tyler Witcraft and Josh Stordalen each had two hits. The team finished the regular season 6-6.

It's tournament time. The St. James VFW plays their first game on Friday at 10:00 am to start tournament play.